Listener submitted articles will be divided into two categories, hard news and WTF.
Hard news articles would include production, promotional, merchandising, etc. stories.
WTF articles being just that articles that make you say â€œWTF!â€.
Now for the sake of time, I can only select one article for each category. But firstâ€¦â€¦â€¦..

Just like life, we have a few rules.

1. Make the articles at the most PG-13, we never know whoâ€™s listening.

2. Make sure the article is mecha related or a broad topic that would
include mecha anime or be anime industry related.
I.E. Youâ€™ve heard the show before make sure itâ€™s something we
would talk about normally.

3. When posting your article suggestion on the MechaTalk forum, please
give a brief description of the article and what category it pertains.
Also, be sure to provide a hyperlink to the article.

4. Please view other posts to make sure that you are not duplicating
each others submissions.

5. Have fun with this, but please keep in mind the length of Neoâ€™s News
during Gundamn. No four page articles, keep the articles brief. I need
to be able to paraphrases if need be.

Thatâ€™s it for now. Iâ€™m sure if these articles are anything like the topics that have submitted, Neoâ€™s News will only get better.

Let me see what you got!

The Equation of the Robot Apocalypse:

The Admiral + Flashlight = Dead Robo

B.A., M.A., PhD,
The Yoshiyuki Tomino School of Film.
"You draw'em, we kill'em!"

Summary:This article is loaded with news on not only Code Geass's release in the United States, but announces Gundam 00 as being licensed and touches upon the reason why X and Turn A are not as of yet.

- X & Turn-A: "Regarding older Gundam series, like Turn A Gundam and Gundam X, he noted that international release decisions for them are made by a Japanese committee. Until the committee decides to clear these older shows for international distribution, the licenses are effectively off the market."

- 00: "Bandai has released almost every single Gundam series, OVA, or movie currently available in English, and has now added Gundam 00 to that list. Discussions for a television broadcast are now underway."

- Gurren Lagann: "Aniplex and Bandai Entertainment will be bringing out the North American release of Gurren Lagann. To get this highly anticipated anime out to fans as soon as possible, there will be two separate releases. In July, August, and September, the entire series will be brought out in a bare-bones sub-only format, at nine episodes per DVD. This will be followed in the first months of 2009 by a more standard release, containing both the original Japanese audio and a completely new English dub. Scenarios for online distribution are also being considered."

- Code Geass: "On August 5, the first DVD of the alternate-future giant robot series Code Geass will be brought out. For this series, Bandai will turn to an unusual release schedule, and simultaneously bring out a US$79.99 collector's box, a â€œSeason 1, Part 1â€ bundle priced at US$39.98, and two traditional stand-alone DVDs marked at US$24.98 and containing five and four episodes each. The limited edition collector's box will contain the first volume of the Code Geass soundtrack, one of the Sound Episode drama CDs, and the first volume of the Code Geass manga. The second segment of the first season, containing episodes 10 to 17, is set to come out in October with the same three different versions. The final eight episodes of Geass' first season are on track for January."

Looks like wishes do come true! I only hope that Spielberg will direct it as well, and that if anything the movie will be based on the manga, or more so, SAC. ^_^

"DreamWorks has acquired rights to the Japanese manga "Ghost in the Shell" with plans to adapt the futuristic police thriller as a 3-D live-action feature.

Avi Arad, Ari Arad and Steven Paul of Seaside Entertainment are attached to produce and brought the project to the studio. Jamie Moss has been tapped to pen the adaptation.

Universal and Sony were also chasing "Ghost in the Shell," but Steven Spielberg took personal interest in the property and made it happen at DreamWorks.

" 'Ghost in the Shell' is one of my favorite stories," Spielberg said. "It's a genre that has arrived, and we enthusiastically welcome it to DreamWorks."

DreamWorks prexy of production Adam Goodman said "Ghost in the Shell" is a property "that epitomizes 3-D live-action motion picture possibilities."

Avi Arad is at the forefront of comicbook-based material, having produced the three "Spider-Man" films, the three "X-Men" movies, the two "Fantastic Four" picss and the upcoming "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk."

Moss' writing credits include "Street Kings," which bowed Friday, and "Last Man Home," in development at Universal.

I know it is a bit late, I live in Europe. Well this is connected to episode 20 of Eundam 00. In May of this year the British Parliament had voted yes to stem stell research. So we are getting closer to cell regeneration

COME AND HAVE A GO IF YOU THINK YOUR HARD ENOUGH!!!

BECAUSE I THE DEMON LORD OF L5, ODENST
WILL NOT BACK DOWN TO THAT CHALLENGE

Hard News:
I remembered you talking about Mobile Ops: One Year War (AKA Operation Troy) in previous Gundamn episodes, so I decided to do a little digging since I don't remember you giving any American release dates (I honestly thought the thing was long since canceled.) gamestop.com has given an American pre-order shipping date of October 1st of this year. This is by no means a slated release date, as gamestop is known to push up dates on a regular basis, however it does create a sense of long awaited hope. Read more at http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product ... t_id=60519

EDIT: Shoot, I just noticed that it says that the publisher itself has given no date and this is essentially an estimate made by the people at Gamestop. However, Gamespot.com has listed a release date of "TBA 2008." If anything, gamespot is even less reliable with there release dates than gamestop is. However, a 2008 release does suport gamestop's claim. You can read more at http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/sim/mob ... lt;title;0

Its still worth mentioning, as long as its with a grain of salt. You may want to learn how to read Japanese just in case.

Hard News:
The Gundam 00 official english site is up and running, with the four meisters' voice actors being revealed. Looks like there keeping it in the family with Setsuna F. Seiei being voiced by Brad Swaile (Amuro Ray, Light Yagami). An interesting fact is that in the Japanese version, Setsuna and Light are also voiced by the same person (Mamoru Miyano). Theres a trailer streaming on the site if you want to hear what they sound like (I'm personally pleased with only one exception, but I'll withhold my opinion for the time being.)

Also revealed on the site is that Gundam 00 will most definately be airing on Sci-fi's ani-Monday block starting this November. The show will run for 13 weeks, airing two episodes back-to-back each week. (Simple math reveals that only season 1 has been scheduled so far)

Hard News:
Gunota is reporting some leaked info about season 2 of Gundam 00. I do not see how the info would be possible to varify before the second season is released, so take it with a grain of salt. I will not repeat anything here to avoid spoilers, not to mention the spread of potentially incorrect information. Find out more at http://aeug.blogspot.com/

whew, I feel like I've done my part

Like all good things, my 318 days in Japan have come to an end. Thank you everyone for such an awesome year!

I figured I'd put this up here even if most people might have already seen this courtesy of ANN. I figure it will give you guys something funny to talk about at least.

There is this store that is selling Gundam AKA "Pundam" knitted cosplay hats for small dogs. A surprisingly wide array of mobile suits are represented like the Gundam, Zaku, and even the Nu Gundam. They even have some Eva costumes.

I personally have learned not to be shocked by this sort of thing, but Mainichi.jp is reporting Japanese consumers will soon be able to empty their cigarette refuse into Zaku-themed portable ashtrays. There will be two versions: mass produced and char custom. Something tells me that the red ones will sell out first, if only because it has the word "Char" on it. They will be 7.7cm and cost 830 yen. Unfortunately, it does not state whether or not the Char custom will cost three times as much or work three times as well.

That's incorrect, this is not the same David Kaye as the one in Gundam Wing and Transformers.

"What did catch my eye, however, was a podcast named Gundamn!. At first I thought it was a podcast about firearms and [rednecks] discussing their collection, but after looking at the episode titles I was sold." - Xhavalor

Ahhh, thanks Chris. I had some trouble finding a site with any of his previous roles on so I took out his middle name to see if that would yield anything, which it did. Do you know any roles he's played of the top of your head?